Photo by Whitehorse Star
Chief Doris Bill
‘Using drugs is gambling with your life’: chief
The Kwanlin Dün First Nation (KDFN) is introducing three new programs to help it combat the opioid and street drug crisis.
The Kwanlin Dün First Nation (KDFN) is introducing three new programs to help it combat the opioid and street drug crisis.
The programs were announced this morning during a news conference over Zoom.
The highlight of the program is Sarah’s House: A Supported Living Residence with a Managed Alcohol Program for men.
It’s being established out of a former duplex that has been renovated to suit the needs of the program.
“Sarah’s House will include a Managed Alcohol Program (MAP), so residents will receive regular medically prescribed doses of alcohol,” the KDFN explained during the news conference.
“The intent is to stabilize drinking patterns, eliminate the need for binge-drinking, help decrease alcohol consumption over time, and reduce some negative impacts of chronic alcohol use.
“KDFN is actively recruiting staff for Sarah’s House, a safe and stable residence for men who need support managing their day-to-day health needs and chronic alcohol use.”
A news release explained the residence is named for KDFN citizen Sarah MacIntosh, who used to live in the home with Wendy Carlick. Both women were well-known in the community for their kindness and compassion.
In 2017, they were murdered. The KDFN worked with the MacIntosh family to name the home after Sarah to honour and remember the positive impact she had on the community.
Sarah’s House will be the first residential MAP in Canada’s North. It has room for eight residents with their own rooms, and is located in the McIntyre subdivision.
The house is intended to provide permanent residences as needed, although participants are encouraged to move on if they’re able to function without its services.
Residents will pay rent to live in the home and access its programming.
The house will be funded directly by the KDFN, along with money from the federal Reaching Home Strategy, the Health Canada Northern Adult Living Allowance program, and local Reaching Home funding through the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition.
Kwanlin Dün is also introducing a $500,000 program to pay for private rehab programs anywhere in Canada for its citizens who can’t find openings closer to home with public programs.
This is intended as last-resort option for people looking for treatment who can’t access other alternatives.
It’s intended to fill that gap for people, KDFN representatives said.
The third new program announced is that nurses at the KDFN’s Natsékhi Kų̀Health Centre will now be able to test client drugs for fentanyl and benzodiazapines.
Similar to the services offered by Blood Ties Four Directions, this confidential service allows people to bring in a small amount of a street drug, such as heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine, to be tested.
“Offering this testing will help empower people to make more informed choices about their health, safety and substance use,” KDFN representatives said.
This service is completely anonymous, and no client names are recorded or released.
The Natsékhi Kų̀Health Centre has received an exemption from Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to provide this testing initiative.
Chief Doris Bill said all of these programs were discussed with the Yukon government some time ago, as it has taken approximately two years to get to the implementation stage.
“We notified the YG this is a road we wanted to travel some time ago,” Bill said.
She didn’t make it clear whether the KDFN forged ahead on it due to time constraints, or whether working agreements couldn’t be created, or both.
She did it make clear that speed is of the essence.
“We needed to move a lot faster,” Bill said.
“We’re reaching a critical time here in the Yukon. We had 30 drug-related deaths in 2021, and seven so far in 2022. Our collective hearts have broken.”
Drug dealers, the chief added, “are not welcome in our community, but enforcement is only one part.
“Yukon First Nations have a long history of trauma, and addiction is a mental health disorder, not a criminal one. Using drugs right now is gambling with your life.”
Bill added, “Make sure you know what you are taking. You have your life to lose. People are not in this alone.”
It’s possible the KDFN might expand these services in the future, Bill said.
A women’s house offering the same services is one obvious option.
“We wanted to start small, and we will evaluate the programs as we go along.”
See other stories on the opioid and street drug crisis in News section.
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Comments (12)
Up 0 Down 1
Do your homework… on Feb 17, 2022 at 2:31 am
Hey BonanzaJoe…
You don’t have to wait 10 years. You can just research the results of MAPs in other provinces that have operated with great success for about a decade now.
Up 8 Down 1
YukonMax on Feb 16, 2022 at 6:31 am
To not provide for senior home care, social workers, mental health that should be accessible 24/7, is really gambling with "OUR" lives.
Up 19 Down 2
Dboy on Feb 13, 2022 at 4:56 am
To be honest it would be great to have more healing for men, something I would use, congratulations kioshies place is still going strong.
Up 29 Down 7
Juniper Jackson on Feb 12, 2022 at 4:08 pm
I think, "we" can't give up. Addiction is not a skin color problem. A Mother with a broken heart is a Mother with a broken heart, no colors attached. Although, this is detailed as a FN program, it is their way of saying, all the other programs failed..We are going to try this one. My friend, who reads everything I write, disagrees with me. She says skin color does matter. That people trust MORE, people that are just like them. An Educated person is more comfortable with an educated person, than an 8th grade drop out. They don't have much in common. I am more comfortable with English speakers, than I am with Arabic or Chinese..they are not comfortable with me. My final thought now, if segregation works, then let's do it. At some point everyone must find a way to work with, share with, everyone else. But, it does not have to be over addiction.
My personal experience with my child, is someone who doesn't want help. can not be helped no matter what programming is offered. And, someone who wants help, everything will work. To a point. That point is.. we can't just say.. Grats, you're clean now. Bye Bye. We have to stand by them, and support them for a long time. I hope this is a successful program.
Up 23 Down 24
White Wolf on Feb 12, 2022 at 11:38 am
Thank you Doris Bill and KDFN - Substance use is a Mental Health concern, not a medical one. There is nothing intrinsically or genetically wrong with people who use intoxicants as a way of coping with an externally imposed pain. Liberals know this, that is why Trudeau pushed to legalize weed, he knew that his ideology would cause a great tumult… A societal level brouhaha causing and necessitating the declaration of exigent circumstances with the logical consequence of a resulting need to quash the resistance… Any resistance… He was ready for this because he is a self-declared fighter who always wins!
With its emphasis on individualism the Liberal ideology is antithetical to collectivist ideals… It is the Black Wolf in the fight between two wolves and it is the one winning because it is the one being fed… The White Wolf is hungry but embattled and weakened… Its coat stained with the blood of both.
Hanley is the Yukon federal Liberal voice of the Black Wolf. “Great choice Yukoners”, said the White Wolf with wounded sarcasm…
Up 43 Down 18
bonanzajoe on Feb 12, 2022 at 10:52 am
Let me know in 10 years how this program is working out. By the way, how much money is the KDFN putting into this from their own treasury?
Up 42 Down 3
Groucho d'North on Feb 12, 2022 at 8:26 am
I am encouraged that KDFN has taken steps to deal with these problems directly. I wish them every success in making a positive difference for those who want a better life.
Up 42 Down 14
Matthew on Feb 12, 2022 at 7:03 am
Example of what free money does to societies.. like it or not it's true! Give you ZERO sense of purpose, so what do people do? Look for way to escape..
Up 23 Down 24
Josey Wales on Feb 12, 2022 at 5:57 am
Gee...gotta admit, the chief is right!
Playing with drugs is bad mmmkay!
Precisely why I will not let the state use me as their big pharma lab rat.
The “others” who play with the other types of serious drugs?
Like playing Russian roulette with all six cylinders loaded.
Speaking of gateway drugs, any guess when the state will kick its addiction to drugs, mandating of said drugs and being completely sketched out power junkies needing that next hit to keep the high?
...funding will cease...perhaps that is why so many parrots propagate using STATE drugs like the needle is stuck. Pun absolutely intended y’all!
Up 42 Down 14
Max Mack on Feb 12, 2022 at 3:30 am
Folks should read Michael Shellenberger's new book, "San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities."
Yukon residents need to have discussions about where all this is headed. Shellenberger outlines why some of these "harm reduction" practices not only fail, but make matters worse.
Oddly, while Silver and Elliott have no problem mandating vaccines on regular folk, they refuse to mandate rehab programs.
Up 33 Down 8
Lori P on Feb 11, 2022 at 6:08 pm
Chief Doris Bill... This is awesome news! This is forward thinking that is very much needed.
Up 31 Down 9
Michelle on Feb 11, 2022 at 5:04 pm
I have a lot of respect for you Doris. You and your colleagues are doing great work for the community.